Home Alone

WASHINGTON, DC (WUSA) -- A District woman is being questioned after police say she left her three young children home alone. It happened in the 17-hundred block of Capital Avenue, Northeast.

Neighbor Andrea Sweetley says she knew something was wrong when she heard the baby in the apartment below her wailing for well over an hour. "That tells me either someone is sick or not there," she said. After knocking repeatedly to no avail, she flagged down a police officer for help.

Within minutes, the fire department was breaking down the door to the apartment. "Once inside we found three infants left unattended in somewhat deplorable conditions," says DC Police Captain Lamar West.

The 3 and 2 year old girls and 5 month old boy were okay physically but police say the home was filthy, with trash and food strewn about. Sweetly, who fed, clothed and played with the children for several hours says, "you could smell them. They hadn't had a bath in awhile."

Police and neighbors alike are stumped as to why the mom who was taken away in a squad car would leave her young kids home alone. "Anything can happen in a split second" says mother of 3, Ann McFadden. Mother Alisa Davis added, "they can get a hold of too many things. They can get out of the house."

Sweetley says she's just glad she followed her instincts and called for help. "I say it's God's will because without him we won't ever know how long they would be alone in the house so I'm happy I did it," she says.

It's unclear how long the children were home alone, where the mother was or if she had ever left them unsupervised before. Police have yet to release the mother's name or what she may be charged with.

The children are in the custody of Child Protective Services.